From Shadow I Rise
by MaliceUnchained
Summary: A Reman refugee flees the destruction of Virinat, finding a place with the Romulan Republic's fledgling navy. But she must overcome old prejudices and hatred if she is ever to be truly accepted, and that may well be the biggest challenge of all...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Well, looks like I have another story brewing. Dammit. This one follows the adventures of my Reman science officer, and the trials she faces along her career. Hope you enjoy it! Please review and follow if you liked it, there will be more :)**

* * *

As if things weren't bad enough.

Irekah Vanekh swore as she snatched up a plasma rifle from the ground, barely glancing at it's former owner as she headed through the embattled streets of the colony.

It had been bad enough that she had been the only Reman at the Virinat colony, judged from the moment she arrived and permanently shunned. Bare-headed, pale-skinned and with a mouth full of small, needle-like teeth, she'd been looked down on wherever she went – even now, Remans were considered little more than slaves for the Romulans, and Irekah had been fighting against that prejudice right up until the moment her homeworld was destroyed, along with that of the Romulans.

Oh, she'd tried to make herself look more presentable, using a small amount of cosmetics to improve what looks she had – a little purple eyeshadow, a dark lipstick, just to accentuate whatever attractive features she actually had, but she still got unpleasant looks from the populace whenever she ventured out during the day.

Plus, there was the small fact that at least three of the children had recurring nightmares after seeing her.

Her race's low-light visual acuity made her an excellent choice for night-time security work, and so with little alternative she'd taken the job. At least in the darkness, no-one glared at her for the simple act of wanting to be equal, or for scaring their children, or for...well, existing. Besides, her race faired better in the dark anyway. Because of their evolution they were sensitive to light, and often had to wear polarised goggles or have their eyes surgically altered. She was damned if she was going to change herself for the Romulans' sake, so she settled on night work, and staying out of everyone else's way.

And then, as if that hadn't been bad enough, the colony was attacked by Tal Shiar and their peculiar alien allies, and everyone she sort-of knew was either being killed or captured.

She adjusted the peak of her hood, shielding her eyes from the glare of the fires, and made her way down the street, sticking to the shadows as much as possible.

However, the Tal Shiar were annoyingly efficient, setting up chokepoints and ambushes for the colonists who were trying to escape. With no other alternative routes available, she had no choice but to get involved in the fight, and she threw herself into it with abandon.

She ran towards the firefight, sliding into position behind some overturned cargo containers, immediately snapping off a few shots from her weapon. The pale green bolts hissed through the air, two of them finding their mark and dropping one of the Romulan warriors. Disruptor beams arced back in response, sparking off the containers and causing Irekah to flinch. She added her fire to that of the other two surviving colonists nearby, taking down another Romulan, but two more moved up and returned fire. One of the colonists was too slow in ducking again, and a disruptor beam lanced through his throat, dropping him instantly. Irekah Fired blindly over the container, hoping to keep the Tal Shiar agents occupied while the other colonist lined up a shot, but she was too busy crying over the death of her companion.

"What are you doing?!" she hissed over the noise of disruptor fire. "I need your help here!"

"He's dead!" the woman screamed back at her, cradling her companion's head as she wept.

Irekah rolled her eyes. It wasn't like there could be anything could be done for him now.

She chanced a look over the container, and spotted the two officers advancing towards their position. Suddenly, an ear-splitting screech from next to her caused her to look back at the woman who had been crying over the dead male, and Irekah saw her wrestling with some insectoid construct that appeared to be attempting to abduct her.

With a growl of frustration Irekah ran over, smashing the device to the floor with the butt of her rifle before grabbing hold of the hysterical woman by the arm and dragging her into a nearby alley.

"Temin!" she howled. "I can't leave Temin!"

"He's dead, you imbecile!" Irekah snapped. "And we will be too if you don't stop wailing like a lost sehlat cub!"

"What would you know?!" the other woman cried, beating her fists against Irekah's chest. "You're not even one of us! You're nothing but a slave that nobody-"

Irekah slammed the butt of her rifle into the woman's skull, knocking her unconscious, and as she caught the woman in her arm she raised the rifle one-handed, putting a single shot into the two Romulans that had been hunting them.

"Trust me, you'll thank me in the morning," the Reman muttered, heaving the inert form of her charge over her shoulder and setting off for the shuttle pads.

* * *

It had been hard going, trying to fight while protecting an unconscious fellow colonist, and on more than one occasion she wondered why she bothered. However, it wouldn't be right to leave her on Virinat, to be captured or killed for no reason. The Romulans had settled the small, insignifcant world to get away from conflict, to start anew, but the conflict had come to them instead. Evidently the Star Empire didn't like other Romulans trying to start a new life away from their control, and so the peace of the colony had been shattered. No matter how much she disliked the people she'd lived around, they didn't deserve this.

As she finally made it to the shuttle pads, she saw a familiar pair clambering aboard one of the others. One of them she recognised as Tovan Khev, who in all fairness hadn't spoken to her one way or the other, but it took her a moment to recognise the other.

Of course. Loraya S'Vae, Irekah's self-righteous daytime counterpart. The lithe, beautiful Romulan had never had to worry a day in her life about being pushed aside, glared at or talked about as she passed, the voices of others dropping to hushed whispers in her presence. No, Loraya was charming, popular and well-liked by all, and had no time to spare for an outcast.

Typical.

With a muted grumble of irritation, Irekah boarded the last shuttle and dumped her charge into one of the vacant seats, ensuring she was strapped in before taking the controls.

"I'm sure you'd want me to wait for others," she told the unconscious woman, "but right now we don't have that luxury. And honestly, I doubt there are many left to save anymore."

She urged the small shuttle into space, smiling as she realised the cloak was still functional. She engaged the cloak, monitoring it for a moment to ensure it was working within normal parameters, then decided it was time to set a course.

"I don't know about you," she told her passenger, "but I've been hearing a lot about a...I don't know, a militia or something, started by that D'Tan person. You know, the reunification advocate? I heard he studied under that old Vulcan, Spock. Don't know how true that is, but...well, that seems like our best option right now. You'll be safe, and I might find a role other than- hang on, these lights are annoying me."

She made an adjustment on her console, and the lights in the small cabin dimmed considerably, and Irekah sighed in relief.

"That's better, now where-"

The woman groaned, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings, and pressed a hand to her head where Irekah had hit her.

"Well, welcome back to the land of the living," Irekah told her with a smile. "Although, I tell you now, if you start shrieking at me again I _will_ shoot you."

The woman glared at her, then suddenly froze up as she looked ahead – directly out of the cockpit, to the void beyond.

"Where are we?" she asked in a strained voice, and Irekah frowned.

"Well...it kind of looks a lot like space, to me."

"Why are we in space?"

Irekah sighed, kneading her brow in frustration.

"Do you always ask this many questions? We're in space because the colony was attacked, and me being the good neighbour that I am, I decided to get you out of here too. I also stopped that thing from abducting you on Virinat, and yet all I got for my troubles was a volley of insults."

"I...well...you're just so _heartless_ ," the other woman insisted, and Irekah glared at her.

"Don't _ever_ act like you know me," she rasped, her voice low and dangerous. "I was a refugee, just like everyone else on Virinat, but just because I had the misfortune to be born Reman I'm somehow lesser than the rest of you? I am not heartless, I'm pragmatic. Temin was dead, there was no point trying to help him anymore, especially when there was still a chance to save yourself."

The woman remained quiet for a moment, but it was clear she found Irekah's actions distasteful.

"He was my husband," she said at last, as if that would change the fact that he was dead, and the Reman cocked her head.

"And you think being killed or abducted would be the best way to honour his memory?" she asked, and continued before her passenger started shouting again. "He would not have wanted that for you, he would have wanted you to save yourself and remember him after the fact, not die alongside him."

The woman stayed quiet, and Irekah wondered if her words were going to have any effect. After a moment she turned back to her console, heaving a frustrated sigh at the woman next to her.

"Where are we go?" her passenger asked at last, and that was one question Irekah could forgive.

"I figured we'd try and find D'Tan's flotilla," she answered, cycling through information on her console. "I can maybe find some useful work, and you'll at least be safe. Maybe _you'll_ find work as well, who knows?"

"Wait, what's that?"

Irekah looked at her passenger, then looked out the window where she was pointing, and frowned in thought.

"Isn't that D'Vek's old warbird?"

It certainly looked like it – an ancient warbird from centuries ago, coming under fire from a massive Tal Shiar battlecruiser. Just when it looked like all was lost, another pair of Romulan ships decloaked, engaging the massive warship and saving the small, ageing warbird. As they watched, the two newcomers waited for a moment before all three jumped to warp, leaving Irekah and her passenger alone in the system.

"I think those were D'Tan's people," the Reman mused, and the other woman replied as she continued to gaze out of the window.

"Well...shall we follow them?"

"Hm. Not a bad idea, actually...I've got their warp trail. I'll set course and hopefully we'll find a little hope at the end."

"We'll see."

"We will indeed," Irekah responded quietly, inputting the course and engaging the warp engines.

As the small shuttle went in pursuit of the other ships, Irekah only hoped that she wouldn't find herself cast out from _there_ , as well.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter of this story, so here's the second. Thanks as always go to Kretolus, for being awesome and an excellent source of information, and to anyone else who reads, reviews and/or follows this piece. Hope you enjoy it, folks.**

* * *

Commander Temer eyed Irekah suspiciously as she entered his office, setting aside the PADD he had been reading as she stood at ease in front of his desk. She watched him casually, and he wondered what was going on in her mind, even as he attempted to analyse her. Unfortunately for him, she was annoyingly hard to read, except for the fact that she moved with confidence and purpose.

"I hear you want to join the Republic fleet," he said at last, looking back at the PADD, and Irekah nodded beneath her hood.

"That's right," she said bluntly. "Is that an issue?"  
"Of course not, but I do need to know what skills you might have that-"

"I was given a sciences course on Virinat," she said, not caring that she had interrupted the commander. "It's- it _was_ a small colony, and everyone had to pull their weight, so I took a sciences course. I'm also trained with a variety of small arms, I've got excellent night vision and I want vengeance for Virinat as much as anyone else."

"We are not about getting _vengeance_ ," Temer stressed, "we are trying to find a way to live in peace without the Tal Shiar _or_ the Star Empire trying to force us to live their way."

"At this point, Commander, those purposes are all pretty interchangeable," Irekah answered, and Temer decided he didn't like her.

"You're Reman, aren't you?" he asked bluntly, and Irekah could sense his distaste.

"What gave it away?" She bared her teeth in a disquieting grin, clearly more amused than Temer. "It was my glowing complexion, wasn't it?"

"Let us get one thing clear, Miss...?"

"Vanekh," she offered. "Irekah Vanekh."

"Miss Vanekh. Let us be clear – I don't like you. I don't trust you. Your kind are not exactly held in the highest esteem-"

"And that is something _I_ intend to correct," Irekah growled, her earlier levity gone. "My 'kind' have been viewed as slaves for too long now, and it is about time _your_ kind were taught just what we can do. I am here to serve the Republic, because I believe the Tal Shiar and their allies threaten us all, but I will _not_ be treated like anything less than an equal."

Temer's jaw tightened, partially in annoyance at being interrupted again, and partially because he could respect her determination. He glared at her for a few moments longer, before finally picking up another PADD nearby with a sigh.

"Very well. I can't offer you anything particularly new, but we do have a _Dhelan_ -class warbird available. It isn't much, but-"

"I'll take it," Irekah stated confidently, "and whatever crew you have spare. I can whip them into shape if I have to, I just want to bring the fight to those tyrants."

"Indeed. I'll arrange that then, and I'll make sure you have at least a few competent officers." He leaned forward, fixing her with a stern glare which she met defiantly. "Do not make me regret this, Miss Vanekh. Dismissed."

She inclined her head slightly in a small gesture of respect, before turning on her heel and walking from the small office.

* * *

She hadn't expected the newest, shiniest ship in the fleet, but she had still expected...well, a ship that didn't _whine_ as its engines powered up, for one thing.

The protesting singularity core wasn't even the worst thing, either. Constant power fluctuations meant various systems lost power at odd moments, consoles frequently flickered on and off and the lighting was...well, for a Reman it was perfect, but she didn't think anyone else on her crew appreciated the cave-like gloom afforded by the ship's failing illumination.

Oh yes...the crew. Half of them seemed to be only half awake, and the other half seemed fully incompetent. The only upside, as far as she could see, was that the woman she had rescued from Virinat actually turned out to have some engineering experience, and had been assigned to her ship as chief engineer.

Irekah sighed in annoyance as she looked around her bridge, before brushing the gathered dust from the captain's chair and settling into it. Even that didn't seem to work right, as she realised something was poking her in the back, but she dismissed it as a weak tone from behind her caught her attention.

She looked at the comms officer, whose console it was that was making the noise, and frowned when no report was forthcoming. She got up, walking around the small bridge to the man's console, and she resisted the urge to shoot someone when she found the officer dozing against his console, his head resting on his arms.

With a resigned sigh, she grabbed a fistful of the man's hair, yanked his head back and slammed it against the console, which had the added effect of stopping the lights from flickering.

The young officer put a hand to his head, trying to focus on Irekah as he fought the effect of both being woken up and mild head trauma, and he scowled at the Reman.

"Next time it could be a Tal Shiar abduction," she snarled into his face, "or a Klingon raiding party. Or the Elachi. Be thankful it was _me._ "

The man rubbed his brow ridge, where a small bruise was already forming, and frowned at her again.

"Sorry," he mumbled, "I was tired from all the working..."

"We are _all_ tired from the work," she snapped, "every one of us has been putting in more hours than we're used to to get this ship even half-functional again, but that is _no_ excuse for sleeping on duty!" She pointed at the console, where a light was still flashing with its weak alert tone, and gave him a slap across the back of the head.

"Do your job, _then_ you can sleep."

He shook his head as if to clear his vision, looking at the console for a moment in mild confusion. Eventually he managed to figure out what was going on, and looked at Irekah.

"Um...we're being hailed...sir. Ma'am...er..."

" _Centurion_ will do for now," she said with a sigh. "Put it on screen."

"Um..."

"Let me guess," she said, resting her forehead in her hand, "the viewscreen doesn't work?"

"Er...yes ma- er, Centurion."

"Fine. Open a channel, audio only."

" _Centurion Vanekh?"_ the disembodied voice of Commander Temer asked, and Irekah rolled her eyes.

"I thought you were giving me a _ship_ , Temer, not a collection of rivets flying in loose formation."

" _Mind your tone, Reman,"_ the commander growled. _"You weren't complaining when I offered it to you."_

Irekah bit back a venomous response, certain that the argument was going to go nowhere fast.

"What did you want?"

" _Excuse me?"_

Irekah growled under her breath, and tried again.

"What did you want, _sir?_ "

" _Better. I have a mission for you – there's been reports of Tal Shiar ships in the Brea system, and I want you to look into it."_

Irekah was dumbfounded for a moment, folding her arms in a guesture of irritation she knew Temer couldn't see.

"You want me to fight the Tal Shiar, who have newer and better ships, in a warbird that should have been scrapped years ago? You're either very confident in my abilities, or you _want_ to get me killed."

" _I'm not particularly bothered either way, Centurion,"_ the disembodied voice told her. _"In any case, I expect either a report on your success...or news of your demise."_

The channel closed abruptly, and Irekah snarled in anger.

"Arrogant bastard," she muttered, storming back to her chair. "Helm, set course for the Brea system, best speed."

The officer at the helm, another Romulan male a few years older than the comm officer, sat resolutely in his chair, not moving despite the order. Irekah suppressed the urge to snarl again, finding the posting frustrating before she'd even left the flotilla. She walked over to the helm, attempting to remain as calm as possible, and glared down at the officer who met her gaze with stubborn defiance.

"Is there a reason you aren't following my orders?" she asked, her quiet voice laced with threat, and the man's lip curled in disgust.

"I don't see why I should be taking orders from a _slave_ ," he sneered, folding his arms as he defied her. "Why don't you go back to digging dilithium, with the rest of your kind?"

Irekah stared at him, considering the various options she had. He clearly wasn't going to see reason, and simply punching him wouldn't do much – although it would make _her_ feel better – so she decided that if she couldn't command through earning respect, she would have to command through fear.

She focussed her attention on the officer, tapping into the natural abilities of her race that she didn't often use, and his eyes went wide as he suddenly forgot how to breath.

"I do not like your attitude, mister," she told him, her voice a quiet growl. "My people have not been slaves for several years since Shinzon's death, and we will not be again. If you wish to continue breathing, I suggest you show some respect to the captain of this vessel, _me_ , or I will choke the life out of you without a second thought. Am I clear?"

The man nodded as vigorously as he was able, and Irekah stopped her mental assault as she stalked back to the chair. The helm officer gasped in relief, taking large, heaving breaths as he turned back towards his console, and Irekah crossed her legs as she took her seat.

"The Brea system, best speed. _Now._ "

"Aye, Centurion," the helmsman croaked, then cleared his throat. "Setting course for the Brea system, warp five."

Irekah tutted at that, and tapped a control on her armrest.

"Bridge to Engineering."

" _Engineering here."_

"Lehnat, what's that status of the engines and cloaking device?"

" _Engines are holding steady, we're just working on getting a bit more power to the warp coils. Should be able to give you warp seven in a few minutes."_

"That's still better than what we have now. And the cloak?"

There was an audible sigh over the comm, which did little for Irekah's confidence.

" _I don't know what they did with this ship before, but the cloak is in a mess, Centurion,"_ the woman replied, and Irekah was thankful _someone_ was showing her some respect. _"We'll be able to use it in bursts, but not for long and not often."_

"Keep at it, Lehnat, I think we're going to need it soon," Irekah told the engineer calmly, and the Romulan quietly assented and closed the channel.

As the ship jumped to warp, Irekah laced her fingers together and rested her chin on her joined hands, staring at the darkened viewscreen. She hadn't expected to be given a half-wrecked ship or a near-useless crew, but she would be _damned_ if she would give Temer the pleasure of reading about her death.

She was going to get some damned respect, and then she would set about proving that the Remans were not to be underestimated.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: surprised that I managed to get more of this one written, but hey...anyway, Irekah returns in this new chapter, and I hope there are still people here to read this one :D**

 **Many thanks, as per usual, to my friend and Star Trek information source, Kretolus, who is just an awesome guy who writes some awesome stuff!**

* * *

Irekah hadn't thought it possible, but the decrepit little vessel she'd inherited had even more problems than originally reported.

For a start, the plasma torpedo launcher could only be fired by taking the shields offline, and she wondered exactly how recently the ship had last seen combat. That kind of work-around was a last-ditch attempt at keeping the shields going, not a permanent solution, and it left the Reman with few options.

Another issue was that only one of the dual cannons worked all the time – the other worked occasionally, when it felt like joining in. That, coupled with the temperamental cloaking device, meant that direct combat would be a swift route to their demise.

Irekah crossed to the tactical officer's station, eyeing the flickering display while she attempted to formulate a plan, and for once realised that _something_ had gone right; a light patrol further in-system, three ships with nothing larger than their own _Dhelan_ -class warbird.

Except, of course, that those three ships were all in perfect working order.

And then she had an idea so bold, so reckless and so insane, it would either go down in history or result in everyone onboard getting killed.

Irekah straightened up hurriedly and slapped her wristband communicator.

"Lehnat, what's the status of our transporters?"

" _The transporters? Uh...as far as I know, they're about the only thing that are working even remotely well right now. Why?"_

"Because I'm planning something crazy. Make sure the transporters are working as well as you can, I've got some details to work out."

She hit the comm again to close the channel, then crossed to the Ops station.

"How long would it take to make this ship read like a wreck?" she asked the Ops officer, who scoffed humourlessly.

"Have you seen this ship, Centurion? It pretty much _is_ a wreck," he told her, and she nodded to herself.

"Good. Make sure it reads as if we're a floating wreck, with no lifesigns. Be quick about it."

Before he had chance to argue, Irekah crossed to the helm officer and fixed him with a firm glare.

"If you want to keep existing, I need you to co-operate. Are you with me?"

There was a moment's hesitation, but eventually he nodded slowly, and Irekah bared her teeth in a predator's grin.

"Set a course for the Tal Shiar formation, maximum warp. Make sure you overload the engines so that they blow out when we get there."

"You want me to _deliberately_ break this ship further, Centurion?" he asked bluntly, and Irekah nodded.

"Yes, I do. Because if this works, we won't be staying."

She returned to her own seat, tapping commands into the captain's console at her side, and hoping the ship would hold together just long enough for this to work.

* * *

Centurion Okar was seething inwardly. He had no idea what he had done to offend Hakeev, but he'd been ordered to patrol the Brea system with a handful of tiny ships, as if he was being sent to die.

Not that it mattered. Brea was a backwater, of no use to-

"Sir, I'm picking up...it's a warp signature, sir, fluctuating wildly."

Okar looked at his Ops officer, a beautiful, diminutive woman named Vedara, and once again lamented the shipboard rules that prevented him from ordering her into his bed.

"What can you tell me about it?"

There was a sudden explosion, and the ship shuddered violently, before Vedara looked back at her captain.

"It's here, sir. I'm initiating a scan for- that's odd..."

Okar rolled his eyes.

"Don't give me 'that's odd', Vedara, just give me a report!"

"It's showing minimal lifesigns, sir, and it seems the warp nacelles just overloaded – that's what the explosion was."

"Anything else?" Okar asked, already losing interest.

"It's a Republic ship-"

"Then we can leave it be and let the remaining crew die a slow death," Okar interrupted, and Vedara pursed her lips.

"Sir, I'm reading a low-level scan – if I wasn't already actively scanning _them_ I wouldn't have detected it."

"It's probably just their sensors, operating on the last commands they were given. Helm, continue the patrol route."

"Sir, I don't think-"

Okar turned to the protesting Vedara, his eyes flashing angrily.

"I have made my decision, Vedara, and the matter is closed!" he snapped. "It is a husk, soon to be a lifeless one. It is beneath our concern." He turned back to the helm officer, dismissing Vedara completely, and repeated his order.

* * *

"Tell me you're nearly finished."

With no viewscreen, Irekah could only sit in the captain's chair, squirming to try and avoid whatever it was that poked her in the back, while trying not to appear as worried as she felt.

"Just...about," her ops officer muttered, as if speaking louder would tip off the Tal Shiar vessel. "They're scanning us in return, and- shit, they're breaking off! They'll be out of range in three minutes!"

"How many have you got?"

"Not enough!"

Irekah swore viciously, determined not to lose her prize.

"Keep at it, then engage at the last moment," she ordered, ensuring she had her disruptor in easy reach before keying the ship-wide comm.

"All hands, stand by!" was all she said, thankful she'd informed the crew of the plan a few minutes earlier.

"Engaging!" the ops officer shouted, and suddenly everything hazed momentarily. When their vision returned, they were on an identical bridge to the one they'd left – except all the systems were functioning perfectly.

Irekah shielded her eyes from the lights, even as one of her crew shot the last remaining bridge officer, and she hurried to take the captain's seat once again.

"Kalem, report."

There was a moment of silence as Kalem, her ops officer worked his console, and he smiled in victory.

"It worked as well as we could have hoped, given the time we had," he answered. "Bridge, engineering and most of the crew decks are completely under our control. Security teams are already sweeping the decks that still have Tal Shiar present."

"Excellent work!" Irekah cheered, baring her teeth in a feral grin. "In that case, what say we test the weapons, Tactical?"

"Yes, ma'am," her tactical officer answered with cruel glee, and brought all the weapons online.

"A single torpedo at our friends' new home should do, I think," Irekah added, and a moment later the viewscreen blinked, displaying their former command and the glittering emerald projectile that sped towards it. The Reman settled a pair of small goggles over her eyes, looking back at the viewscreen just in time to see their wreck of a ship tear itself apart, as the torpedo ruptured the singularity core and detonated it in a green-white glare.

"Perfect," she purred, steeling her fingers. "Take us to red alert, engage the cloaking device...and put us on a pursuit course for the remaining ships."

As the red alert warning began to sound, Irekah allowed herself a small chuckle – her plan to steal one of the Tal Shiar's ships had worked almost perfectly, and certainly far better than she'd dared to hope.

As the ship swung around and the lights dimmed, signifying the cloaking device going active, she couldn't help but picture Temer's face when she returned.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I spoil you guys, I really do! Another piece of another story, this time catching up with Irekah and her adventures! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Commander Temer once again eyed Irekah with disdain, his fingers drumming on his desk. He loathed the smug look on her face, and the fact that she deserved it was somehow even worse.

"You've returned," he said flatly, after a lengthy pause, in truth not knowing what else to say.

"So it would appear," Irekah replied, looking down at herself as if confirming the fact.

"And not only that, but you have returned with a brand new ship – the IRW _Mereidex_ , I believe? - which you captured from the Tal Shiar, and then proceeded to destroy two other ships patrolling the Brea system. Would that be accurate?"

Irekah grinned, delighting in Temer's reluctant praise.

"That is correct, sir," she said, with unfailing politeness.

Temer sighed, tossing his PADD onto his desk with frustration.

"I loathe to admit it, Miss Vanekh, but you have done well," he told her, glaring at her while he wished he could wipe the self-satisfied smile from her face. "I will have to review the data you've brought back – the _Mereidex_ 's computers held some valuable information on the Tal Shiar's operations – and then I will consider how to deploy you next."

"I would have thought," Irekah said, her brow furrowed, "that I would be assisting in the search for a new world to settle?"

Temer shook his head, leaning back interlacing his fingers over his narrow chest.

"Unnecessary. We have someone looking into that already, and we should be hearing back from them soon. I'll find an assignment suitable for your...particular talents, I assure you." He picked up another PADD, briefly reviewing the information on it before looking back at the Reman. "In the meantime, we'll need to change your new ship's registration-"

"Actually, I have a request about that," Irekah offered, quickly adding "sir" as an afterthought, and Temer's eyes narrowed.

"We do not normally take personal requests, Centurion," he warned her, and she nodded in acknowledgement.

"I understand, but I think you'll like this one," she cooed, and her smile was back in evidence. "Alter the registration only as far as the designation, so she reads as a Republic vessel, but keep the name. The Tal Shiar will have records that show the _Mereidex_ is missing in action, so seeing her in _our_ hands will undoubtedly annoy them. Perhaps enough to make some mistakes in combat?"

Temer tapped the PADD against his hand for a moment while he considered her idea, and then surprised Irekah by giving her a slight smile.

"It's a long shot, certainly, but I like the idea nonetheless. You seem to have a knack for subterfuge and deception – we'll see if we can make use of that, no doubt. Very well, we will agree to that, but now I suggest you get a moment of rest. As soon as the _Mereidex_ is ready to fly again, we will get you back out there."

"I hope so, sir," Irekah growled. "I didn't join the Republic to sit idle."

Temer remained silent, but a raised eyebrow was his only concession to showing approval.

"In that case, Irekah, that will be all," he said after a moment, and the Reman nodded to him before she turned and left.

* * *

With no immediate mission to worry about, Irekah made her way to the mess hall on the flotilla's flagship, in search of a drink. She was surprised to see Lehnat sat at the bar area, nursing a small glass of Kali-fal, and she took a seat next to her chief engineer.

"You look miserable," she said cheerfully, causing Lehnat to look up in shock.

"Centurion! Sorry, I-I didn't...I wasn't..."

Irekah chuckled, raising a hand to halt the engineer's stammering.

"Easy, Lehnat, I didn't mean to startle you," she said, with uncharacteristic concern. "Are you alright?"

Lehnat sighed, staring back into her drink, her expression haunted.

"I...I keep thinking about Virinat," she said at last, not looking at Irekah. "It was...it was just so horrible. Everyone we knew, everyone we cared about...Temin..."

Lehnat wiped away a tear that threatened to fall, not wanting Irekah to see her cry.

"How long were you both on Virinat?" Irekah asked gently, gesturing to the bartender for a drink of her own.

"Not much over a year," Lehnat sighed, still staring into her drink. "We came to Virinat after meeting some other refugees who were heading there, so we went with them." She sighed again, taking a big gulp of her drink. "We made sure we both worked at the colony, because we believed in it. We wanted to help provide a good home to everyone...wanted to start a family there." She downed the last of her beverage, slamming her glass down on the counter top. "And the Tal Shiar ruined _all_ of it."

Irekah took a sip of her own drink, waiting to see if the Romulan had more to say.

"Centurion...I'm sorry. I spoke harshly to you, when you saved my life. You were right then – Temin would want me to survive, to honour his memory by helping the Republic build a new home. But I'm not a fighter...I don't know how good I'll be."

Irekah sipped her drink again, setting it down as she replied.

"I can promise you two things, Lehnat," she said, turning to face the engineer. "One, I will help you survive, fight and kill, to give you every chance of getting revenge against those bastards," she said firmly, meeting Lehnat's eyes. "And secondly, as long as I have breath in my body, I will not stop hunting them until we have _both_ paid them back for all the innocent blood they spilled on Virinat. What do you say?" She extended her hand to the Romulan, who eyed it for a moment before clasping it firmly.

"I say you've got a deal, Centurion," Lehnat answered, sliding off her stool and stumbling slightly against the bar. Irekah laughed, slapping the Romulan's shoulder.

"Get some rest, Lehnat, I'll call you when we get a new mission," she chuckled, helping Lehnat upright. "Temer will let me know as soon as something comes up. I doubt it'll be long."

Lehnat nodded, staggering towards the mess hall door.

"See you on the ship, sir," Lehnat mumbled, saluting lop-sidedly before falling into the corridor.

Irekah chuckled again, shaking her head at the display.

"Lightweight."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Once again, many thanks to Kretolus for his input on this story, with special guest star General Kh'osh! Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

It wasn't long before the _Mereidex_ was deployed again, but this time it was alongside Temer and even D'Tan – Irekah was to be the Reman representative for the peace talks between the Romulan Republic, the Federation, and the Klingon Empire – with guests from the Romulan Star Empire, which did not sit well with most Republic officers. It seemed they were determined to force themselves onto every Romulan not currently under their iron-fisted rule, and the thought of having to share the same air as those thugs made her seethe.

Upon their arrival, Irekah had beamed down to the surface along with Lehnat, the only other person on the ship she even came close to trusting. Together, they made their way towards the hall where the delegates were waiting, unsure of what to expect.

"I'm worried, sir," Lehnat said in a hushed voice, not wanting to give the Klingons any fresh reason to believe Romulans were cowards. "What if this doesn't work? What if the Klingons-"

"Calm down, Lehnat," Irekah told her, as softly as she was able, and picked up a mug of Bloodwine. "You and I aren't going to be dealing with the politics here, we're just...a part of Temer's delegation, I suppose."

She sipped the beverage, made a soft noise of approval and knocked back the rest of the drink in one swig, before taking another.

"But what if it still goes wrong?" Lehnat asked again, after a few moments, and Irekah turned to face her.

"Lehnat, has nothing I've taught you the last few days sunk in?" she asked, recalling the impromptu training she'd given her engineer. "Project confidence, even when you don't feel it – _especially_ around Klingons."

Lehnat nodded, straightening her back and taking a deep breath, before letting it out slowly. She met her captain's eyes, took strength from Irekah's calm attitude, then nodded.

"Okay. I'm good," she said, her voice stronger this time, and Irekah slapped her on the back.

"Good girl, now come on, get some Bloodwine down you, it's actually quite good. Then we'll go find D'Tan."

Lehnat did as she was told, choking at the strength of the powerful beverage, and Irekah led her deeper into the hall with a chuckle.

As they expected, Klingons and their allied races were _everywhere_. A few Ferasans were in evidence, their dark blue fur making them stand out even more than the Nausicaans or Gorn. There were only a handful of Orions in evidence, however, an assortment of women with skin of varying shades of green and very little in the way of clothes.

"Remind me again why we need to deal with the Klingons?" Lehnat asked, wobbling slightly under the effects of the Bloodwine.

"Because Dewa Three, the world we want to settle, borders on their space," Irekah explained. "If we don't want them swooping in and trying to take it from us, we need their permission." The Reman caught the eye of an Orion woman, who gave her a sultry wink, and Irekah cleared her throat as she looked away.

Thankfully, no-one could tell when Remans blushed.

"Besides, I would much rather ally with them than the weak-hearted Federation," she added bitterly, sneering at one of the Federation's delegates. Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice.

Eventually they found the Republic delegation, off to one side of the main hall. She made herself known to Temer and D'Tan, who then asked her to speak to some of the other attendees to gauge their attitudes on the alliance.

Reluctantly, she agreed, and set off to find out what the mood was, Lehnat following close behind.

As it happened, the mood was not good. The Romulan _Empire_ had built a reputation built on deception and subterfuge, which the Republic now had to work extremely hard to get away from. Several Gorn had refused to speak to Irekah, and the one who did was less than impressed with the Republic. The Empire's propaganda, painting them as terrorists and rebels, didn't help.

"Centurion?"

Irekah turned to Lehnat, who was looking in another direction.

"What is it?"

The Romulan pointed in the direction she was looking, at a Klingon wearing ornate body armour of dark leather, the armour plates engraved with intricate designs.

"That Klingon. He seems to be trying to get your attention."

Irekah frowned – in as much as a race without eyebrows could – and looked at the indicated warrior, who beckoned her over.

"Well then, by all means," she said, walking towards him, "let's not keep the man waiting."

She managed to grab a pair of mugs of Bloodwine from a passing Orion serving girl, and approached the warrior.

He was at least a head taller than both of them, well-built and muscular like most of his race. His long hair and tidy beard had flecks of grey in them, a sign that this particular warrior was not one to take lightly – an old Klingon was either a coward or exceptionally skilled, and the fire in the man's eyes was _not_ a sign of a coward. A metal eyepatch covered his left eye, adding to his imposing appearance, and Irekah instantly felt a swell of respect for him.

"More Bloodwine, warrior?" she asked, offering him one mug while taking a swig from the other.

"Ha, of course!" he exclaimed, grabbing the offered mug and downing it in one go. His good eye narrowed at Irekah, and he nodded slowly.

"Seeing one of your kind here is a surprise, Reman." He gestured to her with his mug."Aren't you afraid of the light?" He raised his eyebrows, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"I'm surprised you could see me at all, with only one eye," Irekah replied, baring her needle-like teeth in a grin of her own. She downed her own drink in one go as well, setting the mug aside. "And no, we aren't 'afraid' of the light, although that's a common misconception. It just hurts our eyes. But thankfully you Klingons like badly-lit spaces almost as much as we do."

The Klingon barked a laugh, slapping Irekah hard on the shoulder after puuting down his own mug.

"I knew you had the spirit of a warrior! Half the people here," he said, gesturing at the hall around them, "couldn't handle a true Klingon warrior!" He thumped his chest with his fist, his metal gauntlet clanging loudly in the process. "But you..." he jabbed his finger into Irekah's chest, grinning. "You have potential."

"Glad you think so," Irekah said, removing the warrior's pointed finger from above her breasts. "If the Republic is to survive, I firmly believe we will need the strength and might of the Klingon Empire, not the pathetic, mewling Federation," she told him seriously. "A race of warriors, with a legacy of honour that stretches back a thousand years or more? I'll choose that over those do-gooders any day."

The Klingon's eye narrowed once again, and he straightened, adopting a serious expression.

"You'd do well not to under-estimate the Federation. They may prefer peace to war, but I have met and fought many more honourable, great warriors in its ranks than I have among the Romulans. And if they have a cause to rally behind, they are as willing to die for it as any good Klingon warrior." He hummed in thought, looking Irekah up and down. Perhaps I over-estimated you. You are young and brash, and a warrior should know their enemies and allies alike."

Irekah stiffened, unused to such a blunt dismissal of her abilities, especially immediately following some high praise. Even Temer reluctantly approved of her skill, and that man was impossbile to please.

"I know about my enemies just fine, Klingon," she snapped, taking a step closer to him. "Take a long, hard look at my face, what do you see? All you see is just another pointy-eared, green-blooded upstart, but my people have fought their _entire_ lives! Even among our own Empire we were the outcasts, the scorned, the unwanted. We were treated as little more than slaves, or front-line troops when they couldn't do their own dirty work in the Dominion War. The Federation barely knew we existed until Shinzon threatened to burn their perfect planet! We have had to fight for _every_ minute shred of respect we have ever had, and you have the gall to say I don't know my enemies?" Her voice dropped to a harsh whisper, her hands shaking with fury. "I know my enemies well, warrior, because they _all_ left us to rot, instead of giving us the respect we deserved!"

"Centurion, this is important."

Irekah suddenly became aware of the fact that Lehnat had actually been trying to get her attention for several moments, and she turned her baleful gaze to her engineer.

"What is it?" she snarled, trying not to take her rage out on the one person she knew who hadn't really mistreated her. Thankfully, the older woman barely noticed.

"The _Mereidex_ has reported seeing strange ships in orbit...and they are similar to the ships that attacked Virinat."

"Perhaps you'll get to see my 'warrior's spirit' first-hand," she said to the Klingon, backing away from him. "Maybe after this issue is sorted we can try again."

She turned away at last, tapping a few commands on her wristband comm.

" _Mereidex,_ you are clear to engage any and all hostile ships," she said firmly. "Do not allow them to approach the surface and interrupt the talks."

" _Understood, Centurion,"_ one of her officers replied, _"but we think some Tal Shiar agents have beamed down. We saw one of their ships here, before it was chased off by the_ Leucosia. _"_

"Shit!" Irekah snapped, causing Lehnat to jump. "Alright girl, looks like this is going to be your trial by fire," she said, pulling her plasma pistol and disengaging the safety. "Hope you're ready for a fight."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Irekah's adventures continue! Once again, thanks to Kretolus, whose KDF officer Kh'osh appears in this chapter! (Yes, we have a lot of cross-overs. So sue us) If you haven't already, check out his page, and the awesome Command Collapse, featuring the brilliant Eilis O'Neill (and special gues star, Admiral Kassai Lydana!)**

 **Hope you enjoy folks, please review if you like the story!**

* * *

An explosion rocked the furthest reaches of the Hall of Heroes, and Irekah flattened herself behind a buttress as disruptor fire tore down the hall. She was glad to see Lehnat following her example, the Romulan drawing her own pistol and returning fire.

Irekah was furious – although there was still no concrete proof, the presence of both the Tal Shiar _and_ the aliens that attacked Virinat was too much of a coincidence. They _had_ to be working together, and that made them both culpable.

She reached out with her psychic perception, sensing several Tal Shiar soldiers storming down the hall. She waited for a moment, stepping out just as one of them was about to pass her hiding place, seizing him by the arm and slamming her pistol into his throat. She pulled him close, using him as a shield as she opened fire at the others, grinning in satisfaction as three of them went down, and another two fell to Lehnat's steady fire.

Evidently, their late-night training sessions had paid off.

Finally Irekah put two shots into the belly of her 'shield', turning away from him and snatching up the disruptor rifle he'd dropped. She also grabbed his pistol and tossed it to Lehnat, and the two of them poured plasma and disruptor fire back at the attackers.

A moment later, Irekah picked up the sound of transporter beams behind them, and as she turned to face what she thought was a new threat, she saw a group of Starfleet officers move forwards, taking up positions behind the buttresses and cutting down the Tal Shiar in a withering hail of phaser fire.

Another explosion echoed through the halls, this time behind the position they currently held, and Irekah swore.

"Lehnat, fall back!" she shouted to her companion. "We can't let the Tal Shiar stop these talks!" She then began to head towards the second explosion, aware of Lehnat following close behind, and she swore they would have vengeance for their colony.

"They're using explosives to breach the halls!"

Irekah suppressed the urge to point out that Lehnat was stating the obvious, instead being thankful she was thinking in tactical terms. They ran through a set of immense doors, running into a knot of Klingons attempting to push back the latest Tal Shiar assault.

Immediately, Irekah and Lehnat took up positions among their prospective allies and added their own fire, the Reman snarling in satisfaction at each Romulan that fell.

"Well, well," muttered the Klingon she'd argued with earlier, discharging a volley of shots from his disruptor pistol, "if it isn't the pointy-eared upstart. Are you here to hide behind your people's tragedies again, or are you going to face your enemies like a true warrior?"

"I don't recall hiding, you lump-browed mongrel," Irekah snapped, unleashing a torrent of emerald beams into the invading forces. "And I will be dead before I do. I'm here to prove the worth of the Republic, which I can't do if everyone's dead!"

"Let us see if you'll manage," the warrior responded. "And hope you aren't too blinded by hatred to tell friend from foe."

He continued firing his weapon, years of experience and training allowing him to efficiently thin the Tal Shiar's numbers.

"At least I have both eyes, old man," Irekah shot back, continuing to fire at the Tal Shiar even as they continued to press closer.

As the Romulans continued to push forwards, the front ranks of KDF warriors charged into combat with them, the immense Gorn warriors laying about with their massive claws while the Klingons drew their _bat'leth_ s and _kut'luch_ swords.

Without warning, the weapon she held ceased to fire, and she threw it aside in a fit of annoyance. She pulled her pistol, swearing when she found that was similarly stricken, and looked around for a fresh weapon.

Her eyes settled on the body of a fallen Klingon warrior, his _bat'leth_ lying unused next to him, and she seized her opportunity.

She ran forwards, snatching up the bladed weapon as she passed, and then she noticed a large Gorn bending down to pick up a bench, ready to throw at the Tal Shiar. While he was bent over, Irekah leaped up, using his broad back as a platform to give herself a boost, plunging down into the seething mass of enemy Romulans.

Despite not having any training with the weapon, the Tal Shiar were so tightly packed that every swing injured or killed at least three of pushed deeper into the mass of Romulans, letting her rage run hot as she lashed out with the stolen blade, reaping a bloody swathe among their ranks. A plasma shot punched into her shoulder, and she drove the point of the blade into her assailant's throat, channelling her psychic energy to rip the life-force from him and heal the wound.

There was another explosion on the other side of the hall, but Irekah had to believe that the Federation was taking care of that intrusion – there was no way they could give the Tal Shiar any breathing room where they were.

She out her head down, and continued to fight.

* * *

It took time, but eventually they pushed back the Tal Shiar assault. After each party had taken stock of the dead and wounded, the delegates began to gather for the peace talks.

The fact that the attackers were Romulan meant that any doubts about the Republic appeared to have foundation, given that Empress Sela herself had denounced the Republic as little more than a terrorist group. It galled Irekah, to think that her people had fought so vehemntly to protect these peace talks, only to have everyone present cast doubt and blame on the Republic as a whole.

She scoffed as the Klingon ambassador droned on about deception and subterfuge, and as she looked around she met the eye of the Klingon she had been disagreeing with. She could see he still remained unconvinced, despite the bloody harvest she had reaped. The blood of a great many Tal Shiar soldiers was spattered over her uniform, and even Lehnat had been forced to fight hand-to-hand.

She, at least, had the manners to _ask_ for a weapon.

Suddenly, a shout of alarm from the crowd snapped her attention back to the ambassador – and the explosive device that had materialised behind him.

Before anyone could do anything, Temer ran forwards, pushing the Klingon out of the way, and projecting his personal shield around himself and the device.

"Remember this!" he shouted, and a moment later the device detonated, the explosion contained within Temer's shield – although the Commander himself stood no chance of survival.

A stunned hush fell over the assembly, and the Ambassador couldn't believe that a Romulan would act with such honour.

Perhaps, he had said, there was worth in allying with the Republic, if Temer was an indicator of their valour.

Irekah marched towards the Klingon she'd argued with, thrusting the bloody _bat'leth_ into the arms of another surprised Klingon without even looking at them, and stood before the one-eyed warrior.

"We are not finished talking," Irekah stated firmly, standing her ground.

The Klingon looked her up and down, scowling.

"Speak, then."

"I won't refute what I said earlier," Irekah said firmly. "I have been given no reason to trust the Federation, and I cannot guarantee that will change. However, the needs of the Republic far outweigh my personal opinions – warranted though they are – and I cannot deny that we would be stronger with _both_ the Federation and the Empire as allies."

"Perhaps you are smarter than you seem," the warrior replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Despite the fact that you think the Federation, or the Klingon Empire for that matter, could have done anything substantial for your people. At least, not without a costly war that would have left both sides in shambles, ripe for the picking by their enemies."

"Maybe so," Irekah answered, "but as I said, my personal issues are second to the needs of the Republic. So, will you help us? Or are you just going to stand around acting self-important?"

"You have earned your chance," the Klingon said with a nod, "and my word carries enough weight in the Empire to sway the High Council to favour this alliance. Just don't expect too much – it will take a long time for us to truly work together." He leaned forward a little, leaning over the Reman. "Also, a piece of advice for you, since you'll likely be meeting more Klingons from now on. Learn to show respect, especially to those that are superior to you, either in skill or experience. Most of my fellow warriors are not as _lenient_ in that matter as I am, and you might just find yourself with a _d'k tahg_ in your heart."

"What can I say?" Irekah asked with a grin. "You tend to develop some attitiude problems when you're born and raised a slave. But I can think of worse role modles than you – if I am to learn your customs, I would be...honoured to learn from one such as you. She extended her hand towards the warrior. "In any case, my name is Irekah. This is my chief engineer, Lehnat."

At her introduction, Lehnat gave a small bow to the Klingon, with a simple "sir" by way of greeting.

The warrior took the offered hand in a firm handshake.

"I am Kh'osh, son of Ush'ok." He nodded to Lehnat, before his eye focussed back on the Reman. "You can be certain that the House of Kh'osh will be monitoring your career with great interest. I hope I will not be disappointed."

"I'll do my best, Kh'osh, son of Ush'ok," Irekah replied, giving him a sweeping bow. "I look forward to fighting at your side again someday. Until next time."

With that, she gave him a short nod, before leading Lehnat away.

* * *

A few hours later, they had returned to the Flotilla, and had finally been allowed some time to rest – but not before the Subcommander had asked Irekah which of the two allied forces she wanted to serve with.

"Many of our people will be serving within their allied fleets now," she had explained, gesturing to two high-ranking officers from their allies, "but as someone who helped defend the peace talks so fiercely I wanted to offer you the first choice. Understand, Centurion, I am not like the late Commander – I respected him, but he underestimated your abilities. I will not do the same. You will be treated with the respect due your rank, and given the same opportunities as any Romulan under my command."

That had been a surprise to Irekah, but for once a welcome one.

"So, who will you choose to serve with?" Nadel had asked, and the Reman needed no time to think it over.

"The Klingons," she stated, moving to greet the Brigadier-General who had come to represent the KDF.

Irekah touched the Klingon insignia bound to her upper arm, and smiled. With the support of the Klingons, they could get true vengeance for Virinat and really take the fight to the Tal Shiar.

She keyed the door chime for Lehnat's quarters, stepping through when the Romulan invited her in.

"Centurion," the older woman said, quickly rushing to her feet, "I'm sorry, I-"

Irekah waved her back down, looking around at the small quarters, currently only lit by a handful of candles – a fact Irekah was grateful for.

"Don't worry, Lehnat, I was just coming to see how you were doing," she explained, "that was the first firefight we'd been in since we took the _Mereidex_ , and the most brutal since Virinat. You okay?"

Lehnat nodded, taking a seat by a small table again.

"It was...terrifying," she said eventually, "but less so thanks to your training. Thank you for helping me get through it."

"I didn't help you through it," Irekah replied, "I gave you the skills to get through it yourself, and you did. Be proud of that." She noticed the PADD that Lehnat had been looking at, moving over to her Engineer's shoulder. "What are you reading?"

"I've been reading up on the Klingon customs, since we're going to be working with them more closely now." Lehnat focussed on the small device, not looking at Irekah. "Their views on death and the afterlife are...well, it gives me comfort to believe Temin might have...might have earned his way to the gates of Sto'vo'kor. Or that, through my service, I can earn him a place there. I'm...still getting through it. But it's comforting, all the same. I think...I think I can move on, believing this."

"Glad to hear it," Irekah said softly, squeezing Lehnat's shoulder in an affectionate gesture. "Will you be okay when we deploy again?"

The Romulan looked up, and Irekah saw a renewed fire in the woman's eyes.

"Count on it, sir," she said confidently, and Irekah nodded.

"Good. Take it easy, Lehnat."

She nodded to her chief engineer, then made her way out and back to her own quarters. It looked like things were going to go well from here.


End file.
